A Cuban doctor working in Spain shared a reflection on TikTok that resonated with thousands of followers: every time he sits down to eat in the hospital where he works, he can't help but think about what his colleagues back in Cuba are eating.
The content creator known as Dr. Jepeto published the video during a snack break at his workplace. In front of a bread roll, a coffee with milk, and a piece of candy —which he himself describes as "nothing out of the ordinary"— the doctor confessed that this everyday image evokes a thought he cannot silence.
“Sir, I have been in this country for a considerable amount of time working as a doctor, and still, every time I come to eat, to have a snack, to have breakfast—whatever it is related to eating in the hospital—and I see the things that I eat... I still can't help but think and remember what we used to eat in the hospital back there,” he said in the video.
The doctor was clear that his intention was not to criticize or make disparaging comparisons. “I am not criticizing anything; what I am doing is wishing all the time that things were different, wishing that my colleagues who are still there working for the people could have a lunch, a snack, a breakfast, a little bread like this,” he expressed.
The testimony concludes with a phrase that sums up the tone of the video: “Usually, eating in a hospital is disgusting, right? Here, it’s not exactly a delicacy, but I can’t help thinking about what I used to eat and what my friends are eating. I hope they get the chance.”
Dr. Jepeto's reflection connects with a documented reality that has worsened in recent years. Cuban doctors survive on salaries of only 16 dollars a month, equivalent to between 7,000 and 8,000 Cuban pesos, placing them among the lowest paid professionals in the world in terms of real purchasing power.
The hospitals on the island are facing extreme shortages: lack of water, medicines, food for patients and staff, collapsed bathrooms, and deteriorated furniture. Patients and their families must bring their own supplies—syringes, sheets—because the facilities do not provide them. A documented hospital meal in Guantánamo in July 2024 consisted of "a little white rice, peas, and five pieces of boiled banana" for a child.
The Cuban government itself acknowledged the health crisis in May 2023, admitting to "insufficient availability of medications, supplies, and disposable materials," a deficit of reagents and vaccines, deterioration of infrastructure, and massive migration of workers in the sector.
More than 30,000 doctors have left the Cuban healthcare system since 2021. The ONEI reported that the number of doctors decreased from 94,066 in 2022 to 80,763 in 2023, a reduction of 13,303 in just one year.
Dr. Jepeto is a well-known figure on social media regarding the experiences of Cuban doctors who have emigrated. In May 2026, he starred in another viral video in which he defended Spain against a Spanish patient living in Switzerland who was criticizing the streets of the country, even asking: "If Spain is full of potholes, what is left for Cuba?".
Spain is home to over 180,000 Cubans with legal residency, according to data from the National Institute of Statistics at the end of 2025, making it the primary European destination for Cuban emigration, which includes a significant portion of healthcare personnel who left behind a collapsing system.
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